RAIL passengers are facing a week-long series of hold-ups as the result of engineering works in East Lancashire.

Replacement bus services will be offered as a number of Colne to Preston trains, running through Nelson and Burnley, are cancelled as the result of engineering works in the Blackburn area.

The move will badly hit the disabled, cyclists and parent travellers as the substitute buses cannot cope with wheelchairs, bikes or pushchairs which do not fold up.

Sunday sees the first of the delays. The 8.17am, 10.49am, 12.49pm, 2.49pm, 4.42pm, 6.35pm and 8.43pm trains will be replaced by buses from stops between Colne station and Blackburn.

The return services from Blackburn - the 8.25am, 10.39am, 12.35pm, 2.35pm, 4,35pm, 6.35pm, 8.35pm and 10.33pm trains - will be similarly affected.

The Blackpool North to York train, which calls at Burnley Manchester Road station, will be a bus-only route, with the 10.15am, 10.56am, 12.55pm, 2.55pm, 4,55pm, 6.55pm and 8.55pm trains being affected.

Similar restrictions apply to the 12.38pm, 2.38pm, 4.38pm, 6,38pm, 7,38pm, 8.38pm and 10.38pm Manchester Road services, running from York to Blackpool North.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "We will not be able to carry prams, pushchairs, bicycles and wheelchairs which do not fold up on the bus services.

"Northern Rail (the train operator) and Network Rail wish to apologise for the inconvenience this may cause."

Next week the engineering works will affect a number of early-morning and late-running trains for similar reasons.

The 4.43am running from Preston will be replaced by a bus service - every day except Monday - which will only set down at Burnley Central and Colne stations.

The 4.45am service will also be replaced by a bus - this will drop off passengers only at all stations through East Lancashire, en-route to Colne.

The late-night 11.10pm service, from Blackburn to Colne, will also see the train replaced by a bus.

But there is some good news on the horizon for rail passengers locally in the near future.

In early December the temporary speed restrictions imposed on trains using the East Lancashire line will be lifted.

It was imposed at the start of October because of the seasonal effects of autumn leaves lining the tracks.